Adjustable heater bracket assembly



Nov. 14, 1967 B. A. 80668 I 3,351,991

Y I ADJUSTABLE HEATER BRACKET ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 20, 1966 k :Qhgggm INVENTOR BERYL A. 80665 zap-2:

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,351,991 ADJUSTABLE HEATER BRACKET ASSEMBLY Beryl A. Boggs, Chester, Va., assignor to Allied Chemical Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 521,835 4 Claims. (Cl. 2862) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for moving the heating surface of a yarn heat treatment device transverse to the direction of movement of the running yarn to prevent the formation of grooves where the running yarn contacts the heating surface. A plurality of parallel guide rods extend from a frame. A guide member is slidably mounted on the guide rods and is fixedly attached to the heating surface. A bolt, which is rotatably attached to the frame, is threadably engaged with the guide member, and rotation of the bolt causes movement of the guide member and the heating surface attached thereto relative to the frame.

This invention relates to an adjustable heater bracket assembly adapted to be employed with heating devices normally used in the heat-drawing of synthetic yarns.

It has long been customary in the drawing of nylon yarn, to pass the filaments from a feed roll, thence over a heated surface, e.g., a stretch heater, and thence to a draw roll which is rotated at a greater speed than the feed roll. The operation, termed drawing, transforms the yarn into a highly oriented textile yarn having a yarn length from about 3 /2 to 5 times the original. The drawing operation may be combined with a winding or twisting apparatus commonly referred to as a draw-winder and drawtwister respectively.

The type of heating devices normally employed with draw-winders or drawtwisters are generally designated as fiat irons which consist of an oblong metal body provided with a smooth surface such as a chrome plated surface over which the filaments travel. The metal body is normally heated in a manner such that an even distribution of heat is maintained on the heating surface in contact with the running yarn. Unfortunately, aftera short period of time, there is a tendency to form a 'groove on the heater surface where the running yarn contacts the heater surface. Grooves and other indentations on the heater surface cause breaks and other defects in the filaments. As a result, it is common procedure to stop the apparatus and to move the heater laterally so as to expose a new surface of the heater plate to the running yarn. This present procedure is costly and time consuming.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable heater bracket assembly which may be employed with known drawtwister and draw-winder heating devices, such as fiat irons and which permit the lateral movement of the flat iron during operation of the apparatus so as to expose a new surface of the fiat iron or heater plate to the running yarn.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description. 7

The present invention provides an adjustable heater bracket assembly for a heating device having a heating surface for the heat treatment of running yarn. In a more specific use, the present invention provides an adjustable heater bracket assembly which is associated with the heating device normally employed for draw-winders and drawtwisters i.e-., a heater plate, commonly referred to as a flat iron and which may be secured to the draw-winder and drawtwister. The adjustable heater bracket assembly may be operated so as to expose new surfaces of the heater plate to the running yarn while the draw-winder and drawtwister is in operation. The adjustable heater bracket assembly of the present invention comprises a frame, a plurality of guide rods extending from said frame, a guide member associated in fixed relation with a heating device, said guide member having openings adapted to slidably engage said guide rods, and adjusting means associated with said frame and guide member for adjusting the lateral distance between said guide member on said heating device and said frame during operation of said heating device.

The invention may be more fully understood with reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIG- URE 1 is a top view of the adjustable heater bracket assembly shown connected to a conventional flat iron.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the heater bracket assembly and the flat iron attached thereto;

FIGURE 3 is a side view in section of the heater bracket assembly with parts broken away; and

FIGURE 4 is a view of the other side of the heater bracket assembly shown in FIGURE 3.

Referring now to the drawing particularly FIGURES 2 and 3 the adjustable heater bracket assembly includes a frame 10 which may be suitably mounted on a drawtwister or draw-winder, termed hereafter heat drawing device, by means of threaded screws 11 passing through base 12 of the frame and which engages a supporting member on the heat-drawing device. As shown in FIG- URE 3, the frame is vertically elongated and has a pair of guide rods 14 which project outwardly from the frame and which are rigidly mounted on the frame so as to prevent movement of the guide rods. These guide rods slidably engage a guide member 15 at openings 16 and 17 of the guide member. It will be seen from FIGURES 2 and .3 that these openings are positioned near the upper and lower ends of the guide member 15 and each are formed by the cut-out portion of flanges 18 and 19 which are an integral part of the guide member 15. The inner circumference of the flange portions forming the openings is slightly larger than the circumference of the guide rod 14 so as to permit free longitudinal movement of the guide rod through the opening while restricting any lateral movement of the guide rod.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 4, it will be seen that there are a pair of arms 20 and 21 which are disposed each near one end of the guide member, and which outwardly project from the heater 22, being attached to the guide member by screws, threaded studs, and the like, which pass through the guide bracket and engages a threaded portion in the arms 20 and 21.

The heating device is heated by heater rods 22a and is in contact with a running yarn or filament F at the surface of the fiat iron. It will be appreciated that after a short period of time, the running yarn causes grooves to be formed on the heater plate necessitating stopping the machine to adjust the lateral position of the heater device to expose a new surface to the running yarn. According to the present invention, however, there are means for varying the lateral distance between the guide member 15 connected to the heating device 22, and the frame 10 of the adjustable heater bracket assembly, and this lateral distance can be varied while the heat drawing device is in operation. The means for varying the lateral distance above referred to include a threaded bolt 23 having one end terminating in a circular portion 24 which has a larger outer circumference than the circumference of the stem of the bolt 23 and which is adapted to revolve freely in a corresponding circular cut-out portion of the frame 10.

The bolt is maintained in rotatable position with respect to the frame 10 by means of a cover plate 25 which is positioned adjacent the circular portion 24 of the bolt 23 by means of threaded screws 26 which pass through the cover plate 25 and engage threaded openings 27 on the frame 10. The threaded bolt 23 when in position on the frame 10 extends outward from the frame and threadably engages threaded opening 28 of the guide member 15 when the guide member slidably engages the guide rods 14 as explained previously. At the extreme end of the threaded bolt 23 is a non-threaded portion 29 which is adapted to be engaged by a turning tool by which the threaded bolt can be turned either clockwise or counterclockwise. Thus, it will be evident that by turning the threaded bolt for example, clockwise, the threaded bolt being in registering relation to the guide member will draw the guide member and thus, the connected heater device to the frame. Rotation in the opposite direction will result in the opposite effect that is to draw the guide member and the connected heater device further away from the frame. In this manner, the thread which passes over the heater surface can be given a new course of travel over the heater device.

In a representative technique, during operation of a conventional heat drawing apparatus such as a drawwinder or drawtwister the filament is passing over the heater device. After a period of time it is desired that a new running surface of the heater plate be exposed to the running yarn. The operator merely inserts a tool on the non-threaded portion of the bolt, and rotates the tool clockwise or counterclockwise depending on the surface of the heater plate the operator desires to expose to the running yarn. Rotation of the bolt causes the guide member to be drawn through toward or away from the frame and since the guide member is connected to the heating device the motion is transmitted to the heating device thus exposing a new surface to the running yarn. It will be seen that this operation is performed while the heat drawing device is in operation.

Although certain preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed for purpose of illustration, it will be evident that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An adjustable heater bracket assembly for a heating device having a heating surface for the heat treatment of running yarn, which comprises a frame, a plurality of guide rods extending from said frame, a guide member associated in fixed relation with said heating device, said guide member having openings adapted to slideably engage said guide rods, and adjusting means associated with said frame and guide member for adjusting the lateral distance between said guide member on said heating device, and said frame during operation of said heating device.

2. An adjustable heater bracket assembly according to claim 1 wherein said adjusting means includes a bolt extending from said frame and which is rotatably mounted thereon, a threaded opening in said guide member in threadable engagement with said threaded bolt and means for maintaining said bolt in rotatable position with respect to said frame.

3. An adjustable heater bracket assembly according to claim 1, adapted to be employed in conjunction with draw winder and drawtwister machines wherein the adjusting means includes a bolt extending from said frame and which is rotatably mounted thereon, a threaded opening in said guide member in threadable engagement with said threaded bolt, and means for maintaining said bolt in rotatable position with respect to said frame including a cover plate positioned adjacent to one end of said bolt I and secured to the frame by means of securing members passing through said cover plate in engaging relationship with said frame.

4. An adjustable heater bracket assembly according to claim 3 wherein said adjusting means includes a bolt, one end of which terminates in a circular portion having a larger outer circumference than the circumference of the bolt and which is adapted to revolve freely in a corresponding circular cut-out portion of the frame, and said means for maintaining said bolt in rotatable position with respect to said frame includes a cover plate positioned adjacent said circular portion of said bolt and which is secured to the frame by means of threaded screws passing through cover plate in engaging relationship with threaded openings in said frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,579,635 12/1951 Weiss 248l78 X 2,622,606 12/1952 Skivesen 248l78 X 2,696,655 12/1954 Bratander et al 2871.3 2,932,077 4/1960 Honig 28-713 3,230,347 1/1966 Beck 28-62 X MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

L. K. RIMRODT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE HEATER BRACKET ASSEMBLY FOR A HEATING DEVICE HAVING A HEATING SURFACE FOR THE HEAT TREATMENT OF RUNNING YARN, WHICH COMPRISES A FRAME, A PLURALITY OF GUIDE RODS EXTENDING FROM SAID FRAME, A GUIDE MEMBER ASSOCIATED IN FIXED RELATION WITH SAID HEATING DEVICE, SAID GUIDE MEMBER HAVING OPENINGS ADAPTED TO SLIDEABLY ENGAGE SAID GUIDE RODS, AND ADJUSTING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID FRAME AND GUIDE MEMBER FOR ADJUSTING THE LATERAL DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID GUIDE MEMBER ON SAID HEATING DEVICE, AND SAID FRAME DURING OPERATION OF SAID HEATING DEVICE. 